Hand controller for plural drive motors



Feb. 16, 1954 c. E. BASTON HAND CONTROLLER FOR PLURAL DRIVE MOTORS 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 27, 1952 INVENJTOR Cyril E. Boston. BY

ATTORNEY WITNESSES: ww

Feb. 16, 1954 c. E. BASTON HAND CONTROLLER FOR PLURAL DRIVE MOTORS 3Sheets-Sheen 2 Filed Aug. 27, 1952 Fig.2.

INVENTOR Cyril E. Boston ATTORNEY 1954 c. E. BASTON HAND CONTROLLER FORPLURAL DRIVE MOTORS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 27, 1952 INVENTOR CyrilE. Boston.

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HANDCONTROLLER FOR PLURAL DRIVE MOTORS Application August 27, 1952, SerialNo. 306,703

6 Claims.

My invention relates to motor control equipments, particularly such asare adapted for use in high-voltage direct-current electric locomotiveshaving a plurality of series driving-motors which are adapted to bereconnected in a plurality of different series-parallelmotor-combinations, such as are shown, for example, in my applicationSerial No. 188,003, filed October 2, 1950, now Patent No. 2,626,374.More particularly, my invention relates to a form of embodiment of suchlocomotives, in which the engineman may operate his control-equipment soas to pass directly from the first motor-combination to the second,after having varied the effective motorvoltage from a minimum value to amaximum value, in the first motor-combination, and in which a separatefield-control handle is provided, whereby the engineman, if he sodesires, can shunt the motor-fields, in a plurality of successive stepsor stages, while operating, at full mtor-voltage, in the firstmotor-combination, or for that matter in any other motor-combination.

In such control-equipments, particularly when using high-voltage seriesdirect-current motors, it is usually necessary or desirable to providesome means for returning the field-control handle to its off position,before the engineman can operate his controller so as to proceed intothe next motor-combination. In the past, it has been the practice, formany years, to provide an arm on the main controller-handle or shaft,engaging a cam on the fie1d-control handle or shaft, so that, if anattempt is made to move the main controller-handle forward, after thefield-control handle has been moved, the arm engages the cam andphysically moves the field-control handle back to its off, orfull-field, position. Ihis must be done before the main shaft reachesits next notch; and since the field-control shaft may have been movedthree notches, for three successive stages of field-shunting, thisentails a 3-to-1 mechanical disadvantage, with the result that theengineman must brace himself, and pull with both hands on the maincontrollerhandle, in order to move it. In spite of the obvious criticismof the operators, and in spite of the complicate and expensiveconstruction which has been required, this 3-to-l mechanicaldisadvantage has perforce been tolerated, because nothing better hasbeen available.

My present improvement consists in replacing the arm and cam with ahandle-returning spring, to return the field-control shaft to itsfull-field position, in combination with a field-control notch-:platewhich is mounted so as to drop downwardunder the force of gravity and alight spring, away from the latch which is carried by the field-controlhandle. This notch-plate is raised by a roller which is carried by themain handle, immediately below the notch-plate, so as to engage camswhich are provided on the bottom of the notch-plate so as to lift thenotchplate into the plane of the latch, but only when the main handle ison a full-voltage runningnotch, in one of the severalmotor-combinations. Thus, if the main handle is moved forward anothernotch, after the field-control handle has been moved to one of itsweak-field positions, the notch-plate drops away from the latch, and thespring returns the field-control handle to its fullfield position. Theenergy for returning the field-control handle to its off position isthus stored in the handle-returning spring, and the work is performed bythe engineman when he advances the field-control handle in the firstplace, so that no additional work is required when the main handle isagain advanced.

An illustrative form of embodiment of my invention, in a much simplifiedform, is indicated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a much simplified front-elevational and partiallydiagrammatic representation of a portion of a master controllerembodying my invention, with the top of the controller-housing indicatedin phantom, and with a diagrammatic representation of the twocontrol-drums, together with the essential electric circuits andapparatus of a locomotive embodying the general principles of myinvention in a very much simplifled form of embodiment, to avoidunnecessary complications in the illustration;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the simplified mastercontroller mechanism, asseen on the sectionplane II-II in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial section view on the two planes indicated by thebroken line III-III in Fig. 2, one of said section-planes passingthrough the offpositions of both the field-control handle and the mainaccelerating handle; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detailed elevation of the notched segment of thenotch-plate, as seen from the section-plane which is indicated at IVIVin Figs. 1 and 2.

In Fig. 1, the parts are shown with the main handle in its full-voltageposition for the seriesmotor connection, corresponding to. notch No. 6,in the simplified control-diagram which I have indicated, to show theraising of the field-control latch-plate in this position of the mainhandle, whereas, in Figs. 2 and 3, both handles are in theiroff-positions.

Referring first to the electric circuit diagram in Fig. l, I haveillustrated an electric locomotive in its simplest possible form, ascomprising two series direct-current motors having armatures Al and A2,and series mainfield windings MF! and MF2, which are energized from apower-conductor it which is connected to a pantograph l3 or othercurrent-collector which engages a highvoltage direct-currenttrolley-wire is or thirdrail.

From the power-conductor i 2, a circuit extends through an electricallycontrolled line-switch L to an accelerating-resistor R to a conductor I3, thence through the motor-armature Al to a conductor it, and thencethrough the field-winding ME! to a conductor 15. From the conductor 15,a circuit continues, through an electrically controlledseries-connection contactor S, to a circuit I5, and thence through thesecond motor-armature A2 and a circuit H, and finally through the secondmotor-field MF2 to a groundeconnection it. Two electrically controlledparallel-connection contactors Pi and P2 are also provided, the firstfor connecting the circuit l5 to ground, and the second for joining thetwo circuits l3 and it together.

Means are provided for progressively cutting out the acceleratingresistor R, in a large number of steps, which are typified by fivesimple steps under the control of five electrically con trolledresistor-shunting contactors Rl to B5. In this way, the voltage which iseifective across the motor-terminals can be progressively increasedfrom'a minimum value to a maximum value. for either the series-motorcombination in which the contactor S is closed. or the parallel-motorcombination in which the contactors PI and P2 are .closed.

Each of the motor-fields MF! and 'MFZ is provided with its ownfield-shunt FSI and F52, respectively, and these field-shunts areadapted to be applied. in a plurality of successive stages, by means ofelectrical-1v controlled field-shunt contactors Fl, F2 and F3,respective y.

The traction-motor Al and A2 of the locomotive are under the control ofone or more mastercontrollers MC. Each of the electrically controlledcontactors of the motor-circuits is provided w th a control-wire whichis given the same designation as the contactor, with a'prime added. Themaster-controller MC has two controldrums, namely-a main drum MD, whichis carried by a main shaft 2! of the controller, and a fieldcontrol drumFD, which is carried by a jackshait 22 of the controller.

The main drum MD controls all of the contactors except the field-controlcontactors Fl, F2 and F3. This main drum is illustrated ashaving anoff-position, eleven consecutively numbered running-positions, and threetransitionpcsitionsT, T and T". The first notch or position of the maindrum MD closes the contactors L and S, thus establishing the seriesmotorconnection with all of the acceleratingresistance R in service, so thata minimum voltage is applied to the'motor-armatures. In successivemain-drum positions 2 to 6, the accelerating-resistance R isprogressively cut out, until, at point 6, the full-voltagemotor-energization is made, with the motors in their series-motorcombination;

When the main drum MD is further rotated, in the motor-acceleratingdirection, the low-voltage connections for the next motor-combinationare established. In this case, only two motor-combinations areillustrated for th -S l ie Q .ond parallel-connection contactor P2.

simplicity, and the second motor-combination is a parallel-motorcombination. The transition from the series to the parallelmotor-combination may be made in a number of difierent ways; forexample, as shown on notches T, T and T", by first opening all of theresistance-shorting contactors R! to R5, then closing the firstparallelconnection contactor Pl, then opening the seriesconnectioncontactor S, and finally, on notch 7 of the main controller-drum MD,closing the sec- Thereafter, as the main drum MD is further advanced,through positions 8 to 11, the accelerating-resistor R is again cut outin any desired number of steps, until, in the controller-position 11,the full-voltage conditions are reached for the parallel-motorconnection.

The field-control drum FD is a separate drum, having an ofi-position,corresponding to the fullfie'ld operation of the motors, and threeconsecutively numbered oil-positions, wherein any one of threeprogressive stages of field-shuntingmay be applied to the series-motorfields, by successively controlling the field-controlling contactors Fl,F2 and Fit.

In the ordinary operation of the equipment, it desired that thefield-control drum FD shall be in its oiT-position'at all times exceptwhenthe main drum MD is in one of its full-voltage positions 6 or 11 (inthe illustrated example), according to the number of difierentmotor-combinations which are being used in-achieving suc cessivelyhigher motor-speeds. It is desired that the engineman shall be able tovary the operation, after reaching his first full-voltage controller-position 6, with full field-strengths in the motors, either byproceeding on to the next motor-combination, by moving hiscontrollerfrom point 6 to point '7, without using any field-control, or, if theengineman desires to operate, for a while, with a reduced motor-speed,but desires a little more speed than is obtained in the fullvoltage,full-field, series-motor connection, the engineman can leave his maindrum on the fullvoltage series-connection point 6, and operate thefield-control drum FD to any one of its successive onpositions, forshort-field operation, causing the motors to increase their speed.

If, after thus operating on a full-voltage shortfield series-motorconnection, the engineman desires to increase the motor-speed, andif,-to that end, he proceeds to advance his main drum MD through thetransition-points T, T and T to the next running-notch 7, without havingfirst returned the field-controller drumFD to its 01T- position, it isverydesirable, usually amounting to a necessity, to provide some sort ofmeans for quickly automatically returning the field-control drum FD toits off-position, when this further movement of the main control-drum MDis made. In order to accomplish the quick automatic return of thefield-control drum FD, under the conditions just named; I have provideda new and much simplified form of construction for the master controllerMC, as shown at the top of Fig. l, and in Figs. 2 and 3.

At the top of the master controller MCthere is an arcuately movableauxiliary or field-control handle 23, having a hub 24 which is mounted.for free rotation or pivotal movement about a vertical stub-shaft 25.The grip of this field-control handle 23 is providedwitha button 28which can be depressed to release a yieldable latch 21 which is carriedby the field-control handle-and whiQZl-is adapted to engage anyone oi.aplie aecacaz 'rality of notches 28 in the notched segment 29 of afield-controller notch-plate 33.

The field-controller notch-plate 30 is necessarily mounted so as to holdthe field-control handle 23 in any one of its notches or positions, sothat the field-control handle is restrained against backward rotating orarcuate movement when the yieldable latch 2? is engaged in one of thenotches 28. In accordance with my present invention, however, thisnotch-plate 30 is mounted so that it has some freedom for a small amountof vertical movement, so that the notched segment 29 may be moved intoan upper position in which its notches 23 are in the same plane as thelatch 21, so as to be engaged thereby as the fieldcontrol handle 23 isadvanced to its various positions, as shown in Fig. 1. On the otherhand, the notch-plate 33 can be depressed into a lower position in whichthe notched segment 29 i out of engagement with the field-controllerlatch 21, as shown in Fig. 3. To this end, the portion of thefield-control notch-plate 33 opposite to the segment 23 is bifurcated,as shown at 3|, and this bifurcated end is pivoted on a horizontal pin32 which passes through, or is carried by, a fixed support 33.

As a necessary part or my invention, the fieldcontrol handle 23 isprovided with a suitable hanrile-biasing means, such as acompression-spring 34, for returning the field-control handle to itsillustrated off-position. Furthermore, the vertically movablefield-control notch-plate 38 is provided with a biasing means, such as alight compression-spring 35, bearing on the top of the segment 29,preferably somewhere near the center of the segment, for supplementingthe force of gravity and biasing the notch-plate 30 to its lowermostposition, in which the notched segment 29 is out of the plane of thelatch 27 which is carried by the field-control handle 23.

Next underneath the notch-plate 33, the hub 24 of the field-controlhandle 23 carries a gearsegment 39, which drives a jack-shaft pinion 40which is mounted on the top of the previously mentioned jaclnshaft 22which carries the fieldcontrol drum FD.

Keyed and clamped firmly to the stub-shaft 25 on which the field-controlhandle 23 pivots, and disposed at a point below the gear-segment 39, isthe hub 42 of a main or accelerator-handle 43, which moves arcuatelywith the stub-shaft 25. On its underside, this accelerating handle 43carries a gear-seg1nent M which engages a mainshaft pinion is at the topof the previously mentioned main shaft 2!, which carries the main oraccelerator-drum MD. This gear-drive makes it possible for the main oraccelerator drum MD to be rotated through an arc of anywhere from about130 to close on toward 360, whereas the main or accelerator-handle mighthave an angular movement of usually not more than 60 or 70, in order toprovide an easily handled controller, which does not require theengineman to get into awkward positions. In general, the main oraccelerator-handle .3 has an arcuate movement through a considerablylarger arc than the field-control handle 23. In the illustrated form ofembodiment of my invention, these two controller-handles 23 and 43 arearcuately movable about the same ax s, or at least substantially thesame axis.

In accordance with my invention, the fieldcontrol notch-plate 33 is madeso that its notched 43 which is located somewhat below said notchedsegment 29. It will be understood, of course, that the latch-engagingnotches 23 of this notched segment 29 extend over only a small arc ofthe segment 29, corresponding to the small are of the arcuate movementof the field-control handle 23. In accordance with my invention, theunderside of this segment 28 has two or three downwardly directedsegment-elevating camprojections 46 (Figs. 2 and 4:), located at pointscorresponding to the successive high-voltage position or notches of themain accelerator-handle 43, corresponding to the full-voltagerunningpositions 6 and 11, respectively, of the main accelerator drumMD, in each of the successive motor-combinations. In the simpleillustrated equipment, there are only two such motor-combinations. Inmore elaborate control equipments, there may be three or more; asillustrated, for example, in my previously mentioned application.

The main or accelerator-handle 7.3 is provided with an upstandingprojection-engaging arm or portion 4?, terminating, at its top, in aroller 48 which engages the cam-projections 46 on the underside of thenotched segment 29, thus lifting said notched segment 23 of thefield-control notch-plate 30 when the main handle 43 is at any one or asmall number of predetermined selected positions at which it is desiredto cause the notched segment 23 to be raised into the plane of theyieldable latch 27 which is carried by the field-control handle. Thus,when the notched segment 29 of the notch-plate 30 is thus raised orelevated, it is possible for the engineman to notch forward thefield-control handle 23, into any one of its three on-positions, forshunting the motorfields in three successive stages. Under suchcircumstances, when the engineman releases the control-button 26 afterhaving advanced the field-control handle 23, latch 21 will engage one ofthe notches 28 in the segment 23 and hold the field-control handle 23 inits selected onposition, against the bias of the handle-biasing spring34.

The cam-projections 46 underneath the notched segment 29 have such alimited arcuate extent that the roller 48 or" the main handle 43 rollsout from under these projections before the main handle 43 is movedforward to its next notch or position, in the motor-acceleratingdirection of movement, thus releasing the field-control handle 23 fromany advanced position, so that its handle-biasing spring 34 willpromptly return said field-control handle 23 to its off-position.

It will thus be understood that I have provided a mechanism which issimple and rugged, and which stores up the handle-returning energy inthe handle-biasing spring 34 during the time when the engineman isnotching up the fieldcontrol handle 23, so that when the enginemanwishes to advance the accelerator-handle 43 beyond the position of itsfull-voltage notch S, for the series motor combination (or otherintermediate-speed combination), the field-control notch-plate 30 snapsback down, out of engagement with the latch 21, and permits thefieldcontrol handle 23 to snap back to its off position, withoutimposing any additional drag which would make the further advancingmovement of the accelerating-handle 43 more difficult.

It will be understood that I have attempted to illustrate only thegeneral principles of my invention, in a simple form of embodiment, soas to avoid unnecessary complications. It will-thus aeeacss beunderstood that my invention is not limited to the illustrated simpleform, as more traction- ;motors could be used, more motor-combinations,

more and difierently arranged accelerator- =notches, and numerousmechanical and electrical interlocking-means and safeguards, forpreventing erroneous operations. It will further be obvious that variousdetails such as reversers, overcurrent and undervoltage contactors andrelays, and many other features, could be used without departing fromthe essential spirit of my invention.

.I claim as my invention:

'1. .A master-controller having, (a) a main drum having airelativelylarge number of operating positions, and including a mainoperatinghandle, ('0) an auxiliary drum having an offposition and aplurality of oil-positions, and includin an auxiliary operating-handle,(c) a handle-biasing spring for returning said auxiliary handle to itsoff-position, (d) a yieldable latch carried by said auxiliary handle andincluding a latch-releasing member carried by said aux- .iliary handle,(e) a notch-plate including a notch-segment having asepar'ate notch forholding said auxiliary handle, against the "bias of said handle-biasingspring, in at least each of the oil-positions of the auxiliary handle,when the corresponding notch is engaged by said latch, (-7) saidnotch-plate including a mounting means which permits said note segmentto be axially moved into positions in and out of engagea'bility withsaid latch on the auxiliary handle, (9) a notch-segment biasing-means,for biasing said notch-segment toward a position wherein said notchesare not engageable by said latch, and (h) a means, operable at any oneof a relatively small number of predetermined selected positions or themain handle, for moving said. notch-segment, against its biasing-means,into a position I'orcooperative-engagement with the latch or saidauxiliary handle.

2. Control-equipment including the combination, with (a) a plurality ofseries motors for driving a common load-device, said motors havingseries main-field windings, (b) a motor-connection switching-means, forconnecting said motors in any one of a plurality of differentmotor-combinations, for driving said load-device at progressively higherspeeds, (c) a'voltage-changing accelerating-means, for progressivelyincreasing the voltage which is effective on the meters, from alow-voltage value to a high-voltage'value, in each of saidmotor-combinations, and (d) a plural-step field-shunting means, forapplying any one or" a plurality of progressive stages offield-shunting, to the series main-field windings of said motors, of (e)a master-controller for the foregoing elements, said master-controllercomhandle-biasing spring for returning said ileldcontrol handle'toits-off-position, (i) a yieldable latch carried by said field-controlhandle and including a latch-releasing member carried bysaidfield-control handle, (:i) a notch-plate including a notch-segmenthaving a separate notch :for holding said field-control handle, againstthe bias of said handle-biasing spring, in at least each of theon-positionsof the field-control handle, when the corresponding notch isengaged by said latch, (It) said notch-plate including a mountingmeanswhich permits said notch-segment to be axially moved into positions inand out of engageability with said latch on the field-control handle,(Z) a notch-segment biasing-means, for biasing said notch-segment towarda position wherein said notches are not engageable by-said latch, and(m) a notch-plate actuating-means, operable at the high-voltagepositions of the main handle, in each of the successivemotorcombinations, for moving said notch-segment, against itsbiasing-means, into a position for co 'operative engagement with thelatch of said fieldcontrol handle.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2, characterized by saidnotch-plate actuating-means (m) beingoperable only when the main drum isin one of its high-voltage positions.

4. A master-controller having, (a) an arcuately movable main handlehaving a large number of operating positions, (2)) 'an auxiliary handlewhich is arcuately movable, on substantially the same axis as said mainhandle, in a plane which is axially displaced with respect to said mainhandle, said auxiliary handle having'an off-p0- prising, (f) a main drumhaving a plurality of controlling said field-shunting means (-41), (h) asition and a plurality of on-positions, (c) a handle-biasing spring forreturning said auxiliary handle to its elf-position, (d) a yieldablelatch carried by said auxiliary handle and including a latch-releasingmember carriedby'said auxiliary handle, (6) a notch-plate including anotch-segment having a separate notch for holding said auxiliary handle,against the bias of said handle-biasing spring, in at least each of theonpositions of the auxiliary handle, when the corresponding notch isengaged by said latch, (i) said notch-plate including a mounting-meanswhich permits said notch-segment to be axially moved into positions inand out of the plane of said latch on the auxiliary handle, (g) anotch-segment biasing-means, for biasing said notch-segment toward aplane wherein said notches are not engageable by said latch, (It) saidnotch-segment having a relatively small number of seement-movingcam-projections, located at points corresponding to predeterminedselected positions of the main handle, and (i) said main handle having aprojection-engaging portion, adapted to engage one of said notch-segmentcam-projections, at any one of a relatively small number ofpredetermined selected positions of the main handle, for axially movingsaid notch-segment, against its biasing-means, into a position forcooperative engagement with the latch of said auxiliary handle.

5. Control-equipment including the combination, with (a) a plurality ofseries motors for driving a common load-device, said motors havingseries main-field windings, (b) a motorconnection switching-means, forconnecting said motors in any one of a plurality of differentmotor-combinations, for driving said load-device atprogressively higherspeeds, (c) a voltag changing accelerating-means, .for progressivelyincreasing the voltage whichis effective onth'e motors, from alow-voltage value to a highvoltage value, in each of saidmotor-combinations, and (d) a plural-step field-shunting means, forapplying any one of a plurality of progressive stages of field-shunting,to the series main-field windings of said motors, of (e) amaster-controller for the foregoing elements, said mastercontrollercomprising, (f) an arcuately movable main accelerating-handle, having aplurality of progressively higher-voltage positions for each of thesuccessive motor-combinations, and control-means, controlled by saidmain handle, for controlling said voltage-changing acceleratingmeans (0)and said motor-connection switchingmeans (12), (g) a field-controlhandle which is arcuately movable, on substantially the same axis assaid main handle, in a plane which is axially displaced with respect tosaid main handle, said auxiliary handle having an off-position and aplurality of oil-positions, corresponding to the off-position and theseveral successive stages of said field-shunting means (d), and acontrolmeans, controlled by said field-control handle, for controllingsaid field-shunting means (d), (h) a handle-biasing spring for returningsaid field-control handle to its elf-position, (i) a yieldable latchcarried by said field-control handle and including a latch-releasingmember carried by said field-control handle, (7') a notch-plateincluding a notch-segment having a separate notch for holding saidfield-control handle, against the bias of said handle-biasing spring, inat least each of the on-positions of the fieldcontrol handle, when thecorresponding notch is engaged by said latch, (is) said notch-plateineluding a mounting-means which permits said notch-segment to beaxially moved into positions in and out of the plane of said latch onthe fieldcontrol handle, (Z) a notch-segment biasingmeans, for biasingsaid notch-segment toward a plane wherein said notches are notengageable by said latch, (m) said notch-segment having a relativelysmall number of segment-moving cam-projections, located at pointscorresponding to the high-voltage positions of the main handle, in eachof the successive motor-combinations, and (n) said main handle having aprojectionengaging portion, adapted to engage one of said notch-segmentcam-projections, when the main handle is in any one of its high-voltagepositions, for axially moving said notch-segment, against itsbiasing-means, into a position for cooperative engagement with the latchof said field-control handle.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5, characterized by all but thelast of the cam-projections (it) of said notch-segment having suchlimited arcuate extent that the projection-engaging portion (n) of themain handle rides off of any such cam-projection before the main handleis moved forward into the lowest-voltage position of the next followingmotor-combination.

CYRIL E. BASTON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

